Current water wheel or motor.



No. 863,033. 'PATENTBD AUG. 13, 1907.

0. H. MARTIN.

CURRENT WATER WHEEL 0B. MOTOR. APPIIOA'BIOK FILED we. so. 1906.

2 sums-sum 2.

Fag/- w i/twpooco CHARLES H. MARTIN, OF FREDONIA, NEW YORK.

CURRENT WATER WHEEL OR MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application filed August 30,1906. Serial No. 382,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fredonia, Chautauqua county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current Water Wheels or Motors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in current water wheels or motors, and has for its object to provide a structure which will develop a maximum amount of power, and be of simple and durable construction.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a current motor constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating a slightly modified form of bucket from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig, 4 illustrates a slightly different embodiment of the invention from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the motor is supported from a suitable vertically arranged shaft or upright 1, which is stepped in a bearing 2 at its lower end, and has its upper end mounted in a bearing formed in an arm 3 extending from a suitable support,

not shown.

The buckets or blades of the motor are hung from a frame comprising a series of horizontal rods 4, projecting radially from a sleeve 5 which, as shown, rests upon a series of anti-friction balls or rollers mounted in a collar 5 secured to the upright 1, each of said rods being connected at its outer end with an inclined brace rod 5 the upper end of which is secured to a sleeve 6 mounted on the shaft or upright 1 in a manner similar to the sleeve 5. The outer ends of all of the rods 4 are connected by a tie-rod 7. This frame, it will be seen, provides a very strong support for the buckets and makes it possible to employ the full strength or force of a stream or current of water without danger of disarranging or damaging any of the parts of the motor.

The buckets or propeller blades 8 are preferably made in the general form shown, that is, each consists of a body plate or blade which is curved forwardly near its lower edge and is provided at its outer edge with an auxiliary blade 9. The blade 9 extends substantially parallel with the rear face or wall of the bucket, while the outer edge of the bucket proper is curved forwardly so that the free edge of said auxiliary blade projects some distance beyond the edge of the main blade and into the path of the current in which the motor is operating.

Each of the buckets is supported by hangers 10 from a sleeve 11, loosely mounted on the arms 4, and each bucket or propeller blade is also provided with a stop arm 12, the upper end of which is adapted to contact with stops 12 attached to the supporting frame-work to hold the bucket in substantially vertical position while moving in the direction of and being acted upon by the current. Ball or roller bearings may be interposed be tween the sleeve 11 and their supports if desired.

It will be understood that the buckets or blades 8 are loosely hung upon the rods 4, and the pressure exerted thereon by the current is transmitted to the frame, the upper end of which is connected by suitable .gearing 13 with a transmission shaft 14. The buckets or blades being supported as aforesaid are adapted to occupy several different positions relative to the supporting frame, as they revolve about the axis of the shaft 1, As shown in Fig. 2, when the buckets or blades are moving in the same direction as, and are being acted upon by the current, they occupy a substantially vertical position, but as they are successively carried from a position transverse to the movement of the current their supporting sleeves will be rocked about the rods 4 so that when moving in a direction opposite that of the current, they will be only partially submerged or will practically float upon the water with their open faces uppermost.

As shown in Fig. 2, the buckets or blades 8 are preferably arranged at different distances from the shaft 1, each alternate bucket projecting to a greater extent beyond the supporting frame than the intermediate ones. It will be seen, however, that all of the blades project beyond the supporting frame.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated a slightly modified form of bucket or propelling blade. In this form there is provided within the body of the bucket a spiral conveyer 15 which acts to conduct the force of the stream or current from the inner toward the outer and lower sides of the bucket, said conveyer gradually increasing in diameter from the inner to the outer edge of the bucket.

It will be seen thatthe construction hereinbefore described comprises but few parts and provides a structure of maximum strength. The supporting frame for the buckets or blades 8 is braced against strains in every direction and it is, therefore, possible to provide a motor of maximum power which shall not be undesirably heavy or cumbersome. By arranging the several blades in the manner described, that is, causing each alternate blade to project radially beyond the intermediate blades, the maximum power of the current is utilized.

The height of the supporting frame, the lengths of the rods 4 and brace rods 5, as well as the dimensions of the blades or buckets will depend on and be governed by the force, depth and width of the stream where the motor is to be employed, the velocity of the current, etc. The frame must of course be properly proportioned in relation to the length and Weight of the buckets or blades.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and hereinbeiore described is one in which the motor is arranged in mid-stream or where the blades are supported at all times over or in the water. It will be evident, however, that it may be arranged adjacent a bank of a stream suitable means being employed for lifting and guiding the blades or buckets during that part of their travel where they are out of action. Such an embodiment is illustrated in Fig. 4 in which it will be seen that the central upright or post is partly surrounded by a guide way 16 that receives the buckets or blades 8 as they reach a position where the current is not acting directly on them and guides said buckets or blades through that portion of their travel where they are passing over the land, said guide 16 extending downwardly into the stream to enable the buckets or blades to assume the proper position therein.

It will be seen that the buckets or blades can be adjusted on the rods 4 to cause them toproject any desired distance beyond the supporting frame, suitable collars being fitted to the rods between the outer ends of the sleeves 11 and the tie rod 7.

- If desired each bucket may also be curved forwardly at its upper edge to form a forwardly extending flange similar to the flange on the lower edge and the vertical side edges.

As hereinbefore described in the embodiment of the invention illustrated, the support 1 is stationary and arranged in a vertical position, the bucket supporting frame turning about said support and having its upper end connected with a sleeve, that surrounds the support 1 and carries the gear 13.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. In a motor of the character described, the combination of a central support, a frame mounted to revolve about the axis of said support, and a series of propeller blades carried by the frame and each comprising a main body section and a supplemental section or member secured to the rear face and projecting beyond the outer edge of the main section.

2. In a motor of the character described, the combination of a central support or shaft, a frame mounted on said support and adapted to revolve about the axis thereof, and a series of buckets suspended from said frame and each comprising a main body or blade, which is concaved on one face, and a supplemental blade secured to the main blade and projecting laterally beyond the outer edge thereof.

3. In a motor of the character described, the combination of a central support or shaft, a frame mounted on said support and adapted to revolve about the axis thereof, and a series of buckets suspended from said frame, each bucket comprising a main body or blade which has its outer and lower edges curved forward, and a supplemental blade secured to the rear side of and ex tending in substantially the same plane beyond the curved outer edge of said main blade.

4. In a motor of the character described, the combina tion of a vertical shaft or upright, a frame supported by said upright and adapted to revolve about the axis thereof, and a series of buckets supported from said frame each of said buckets havingarranged therein a spiral conveyer which increases in diameter from the inner to the outer edge of the bucket.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. MARTIN.

Witnesses C. B. WRIGHT, E. L. HUSTED. 

